Electric watch



1951 A. E. FILLINGER 2,577,703

ELECTRIC WATCH Filed Oct. 31, 1947 2 SHEETS'SHEET 1 ||||ll|||||||| as 1l||||||||| 28 ll a I i w a INVENTOR. ARTHUR E. FILLINGER A. E. FILLINGER ELECTRIC WATCH Filed 001;. 31, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig. 5

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ARTHUR E. Fl LLENGER BY wry Patented 4, i951 ELECTRIC WATCH Arthur I. Fillinger Lancaster, Pa, 'asaignor to Hamilton Watch Company. Lancaster, Pa.

Application October 31, 194?, No. 783,319

This invention relates to'electric watchw oi the type in which the watch movement is driven by a periodically advanced ratchet through the medium of an oscillating balance wheel which in turn is driven by an electromagnet.

It is the object of the invention to provide a watch movement so sensitive and delicate in'its operation that only the smallest motive power is a comparatively longrequired to operate it for period of time.

To enclose in the ordinary watch-case of today a battery and a movement operated by the battery .'renders it necessary to have the movement operate almost'frictionless and to time the motion of the ratchet arm with the electromagnetic impulse given to the balance wheel and to combine both the mechanical impulse and the electrical contact to reduce the energy required to drive the watch.

It is a further object of'the present invention to provide a spring pressed center wheel which is frictionally held against a shoulder of the center pinion and may be more readily backed up during the setting operation.

It is'the object then of the present invention to provide a comparatively frictionless drive for an electric watch which combines the mechanical and electrical impulse in the same operation.

with the foregoing and other objects in view.

' the invention resides in the novel arran ement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of the movement as mounted on the pillar plate.

Figure 2 is a cross section showing the balance wheel and part 0! the train but omitting the ratchet arms.

mecisacrosssectionoitheeettingapatus.

Figure 4 is a. detail view showing the simultaneone occurrence of the electrical and mechanical contact.

Pigurehisadetaflviewoftheratchetarms tly enlarged.

Referring to the drawings. more particularly to Fi ure l. a pillar plate 8 supports a battery 9 which is held in place by retaining screws ll Bit 1 Claim. (63L W28) 8. A tel 02 is secured to the center it of the battery t and is connected at it to one side of a coil ii. The lead It coming from the coil is connected to a contact spring arm I! which I serves to make both the electrical contact and the mechanical impulse.

A roller table II is carried on the balance stall it below the balance wheel 2|. A pin 2| projecting downward from the. underside of the roller table is formed of one half insulation material I! and the other half conducting material 28.

This permits mechanical and electrical engagement simultaneously between the contact arm II and the pin 2| when the pin is moving clockwise but gives only mechanical contact on movement of the pin counter-clockwise.

Extending from the coil are pole pieces 24 and '25 terminating respectively in pole faces 28 and II which are energized from the coil at intervals depending upon the contact of the arm I! with the conducting side 23 ofthe post 2|. A balance wheel 2| carried on the balance stall II and driven by the electromagnets 2i and 21 has connected thereto the ordinary hairspring II and regulator 28. The balance stall II is mounted in the usual fashion having olived pivot jewels and endstones to provide an almost frictionless bearing A ratchet wheel it serves to receive the driving impulse from the ratchetarm 3i and in turn transmits this impulse to a pinion 82, a fourth wheel 33, pinion 34 to a third wheel and pinion (not shown) and from this third wheel pinion to a center wheel ll. All this is ordinary watch construction and does not add anything new to the art.

A shaft it connected directly to the fourth wheel It operates a sweep second hand 81. The center wheel II is frictionally held against the shoulder 38 of the center pinion as by a spring ll. This friction drives the center pinion ll to which is connected a minute hand 4!. Also connected, and of the usual construction, to the centerpinionll isagearlthavingapinion and an hour wheel ll which in turn operates an hour hand it. With the exception of the manner in which the center wheel is frictionaily held against the shoulder 38 of the center pinion. this is all usual watch construction.

The ratchet arm II is formed with narrowed portions 41 and I! (see Figure 5) and a ratchet tooth 4!. The contact arm ll engages the ratchet arm at it to provide the mechanical impulse which is transmitted through the arm and ii and which is grounded to the pillar plate ll 3| to the ratchet wheel ll, the movement be- 3 ing sumcient to advance the ratchet wheel the distance irom one tooth to another, the spring retaining pawl 5| engaging the ratchet .wheel at 52 to prevent backward movement oi the ratchet wheel 30. The weakened portions 41 and ll allow ilexure oi the ratchet arm 8| at the-proper places with aslittle expenditure oi energy as and the shoulder oi the center pinion. In oper-' ation' an electric current passing from the battery through the coil l5 energizes the electromagnets 26 and 21 upon contact oi the contact arm I! with the conducting side 23 oi the pin 2|. This gives a magnetic impulse to balance wheel which through its motion transmits a mechanical movement through the ratchet arm it to the ratchet wheel 30 at exactly the same time that the magnetic impulse is given to the balance wheel so that the load is carried by the magnetic force rather than the inertia of a moving balance wheel. The return oi the balance wheel brings the insulated side 22' oi the pin it into contact with the contacting spring arm II, the ratchet arm 3i returning to its initial position through its inherent spring action until stopped by the pin 56. Flexure at the points 41 and 48 permit the movement oi the arm 3| with the minimum expenditure oi energy. The motion of the ratchet wheel is intermittent and is transmitted through its pinion l2 and through the train of gears to the indicating hands of the watch.

The period oi the balance wheel is regulated so that it-has tour beats a second, that is one iorward and one back to provide a movement oi the ratchet wheel equal to a halisecond movement oi the sweep second hand on the seconds dial.

What is claimed is: An electric watch having hands comprising an electromagnetically driven balance wheel assembly, a train oi gears including a ratchet wheel ior driving the hands, a contact post iormed oi a semicylindricalsection oi electric conducting material and a semicylindrical section 0! a dielectric material, fixedly carried by said balance wheel assembly, a battery, an electromagnet, a spring contact arm connected to said battery and adapted to engage the contact post on said balance wheel assembly to energize said electromagnet when moving clockwise to impulse said balance wheel, an elongated substantially L-shaped ratchet arm secured at one end and upturned at its free end to term a. ratchet wheel engaging prong, said arm being decreased in thickness adjacent its secured end and adjacent the butt of the L to insure transverse flexure oi each oi the legs oi the L, said arm be ing contacted and moved by contact with said moving spring contact arm to index said ratchet wheel, the flexure of the legs insuring operation oi the ratchet wheel, the mechanical impulse transmitted through said spring ratchet arm to said ratchet wheel occurring simultaneously with the electrical impulse imparted irom said electromagnet to said balance wheel.

ARTHUR E. FIILENGER REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ilie of this patent:

UNITED s'm'rns PATENTS Number Name Date 1,826,719 Battegay. "Oct. 13, 1931 1,964,857 Newmann July 3, 1934 1,965,762 Battegay July 10, 1934 2,084,226 Strahm June 15, 1937 2,420,827 Kennedy May 20, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number I Country Date 868,179 France June 20, 1928 

